Asaram in cell vacated by Bhanwari Devi case accused Maderna

Asaram, after being arrested from his Indore ashram by Jodhpur Police, arrives at Jodhpur airport on Sunday. (PTI Photo)

Self-styled godman Asaram, accused of sexually assaulting a minor, was on Monday moved to the Jodhpur central jail, which had once hosted Bollywood superstar Salman Khan.

Ironically, 74-year-old Asaram has been lodged in the same barrack which had housed former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna, whose political empire came crashing after the surfacing of a CD which purportedly showed him in a compromising position with a government nurse Bhanwari Devi. Maderna was later arrested on charges of abduction and murder of Bhanwari Devi.

Asaram was remanded in judicial custody for 14 days by the district and sessions court on Monday afternoon and was immediately whisked away to the jail under tight security.

"Asaram has been given a solitary barrack near the dispensary in jail premises, where Maderna was kept," a jail official told Hindustan Times on condition of anonymity.

"The barrack was vacant since Maderna was shifted to Jaipur jail following court orders and we cleaned it up yesterday (Sunday)," the official further said adding that some medicines have also been arranged for Asaram.

The jail had hosted Salman Khan who was imprisoned after being convicted in the black buck hunting case in 2006.

Jail superintendent Rakesh Mohan Sharma said that Asaram would not get any preferential treatment and would not be given any special facility.

"He will get the same food as other prisoners, tea and chana for breakfast, roti-dal for lunch and roti-subzi for dinner. He will be allowed to spend one hour from 11 am to 12 noon outside his cell and two hours again in the evening from 4 pm to 6 pm," he added.

Asaram being escorted by police to a court in Jodhpur.(AFP photo)

Sharma said that Asaram was given a prisoner kit, comprising a mat, blanket and three utensils for daily use. He will be given some medicines too, if jail doctor prescribes.